Cannabis Has No Effect on Exercise Performance, Breathlessness in COPD, Study Says

The use of inhaled vaporized cannabis neither improved nor worsened exercise performance and activity-related breathlessness for patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a recent trial published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

The researchers originally hypothesized that inhaled vaporized cannabis would alleviate exertional breathlessness and improve exercise endurance by enhancing static and dynamic airway function in those with COPD. To test this, the researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial of 16 adults with advanced COPD and compared the acute effects of 35 mg inhaled vaporized cannabis with a 35 mg of a placebo control cannabis.

“Amidst widespread changes in the regulatory landscape of recreational and medicinal use of cannabis, there has been a growing interest in understanding the therapeutic potential of its main cannabinoid constituent, delta-9 (∆9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which